County plans hazardous waste collection dates

Ocean County’s fall household hazardous waste disposal program is scheduled to get under way Oct. 14.

"We have 2,795 appointments available at sites throughout Ocean County," said Freeholder James F. Lacey, who serves as liaison to the county’s Department of Solid Waste Management. "We encourage our residents and taxpayers to take advantage of this free program."

The Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders awarded a contract for the semiannual program to Radiac Research, Brooklyn, N.Y., at a price of almost 27 cents per pound, which is slightly less than last year’s price. As a result, the cost of the spring collection was $79,419 for almost 300,000 pounds of hazardous waste collected.

Materials accepted at the household hazardous waste collection sites are paints/thinners/boat paints, solvents, pool chemicals, pesticides and herbicides, aerosol cans, auto products, toilet and drain cleaners, silver polishes, oven cleaners, photographic chemicals, rug and upholstery cleaners, polishes and bleaches, waste oil and used gasoline.

Locations, dates and times for the fall program are: Lacey Township Recycling Center, Municipal Lane, noon to 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 14; Lakewood Township Municipal Garage, 9th Street, noon to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 15; Dover Township Recycling Center, Church Road, noon to 6 p.m., Friday, Oct. 17, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 18; Point Pleasant Beach Municipal Parking Lot, Arnold and Ocean avenues, noon to 5 p.m., Monday, Oct. 20; Manchester Township Public Works Garage, Route 70, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 21; Tuckerton Public Works Garage, 445 S. Green St., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 22; Long Beach Township Public Works Garage, Long Beach Boulevard and 80th Street, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 24; and Stafford Township Public Works Garage, 320 Hay Road, Stafford Township, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25.

To preregister for the fall household hazardous waste program in Lakewood and Manchester townships, and Point Pleasant Beach, call (732) 367-0802; for Dover and Lacey townships, call (732) 506-5047; for Stafford and Long Beach townships and Tuckerton, call (609) 978-0913.

Residents can attend any drop-off site in the county.

The county’s household hazardous waste disposal program is supported by year-round programs such as Ocean County’s paint management program. Under the county paint management program, paint is collected six days a week at municipal recycling centers in Point Pleasant Beach, Dover and Lacey townships, and at the county’s Northern Recycling Center in Lakewood and the Southern Recycling Center in Stafford. Paint is collected Monday through Friday at Public Works garages in Seaside Park and Tuckerton.

The county’s household hazardous waste collection is held in the spring and fall. In order to use this free program, a person must be a county resident and preregister.

The fall household hazardous waste schedule is contained in a new county re­cycling guide that can be obtained at the County Connection, the county govern­ment service outlet at the Ocean County Mall, Dover Township, and the county’s regional recycling centers in Lakewood and Stafford townships.